Ecology Of Species Interactions 3

Question 1

The concept of an 'ecological trap' occurs when:

Accepted Answer

A habitat cue attracts organisms to poor-quality environments

Answer

Prey species hide in dense vegetation

Answer

Predators set ambushes near water sources

Answer

Competing species force each other into suboptimal niches

Question 2

Batesian mimicry is best defined as:

Accepted Answer

A harmless species mimicking a dangerous or unpalatable species

Answer

A toxic species mimicking another toxic species

Answer

Two harmless species converging on the same appearance

Answer

A predator mimicking its prey to ambush victims

Question 3

Which outcome is predicted by the competitive exclusion principle?

Accepted Answer

Two species competing for identical resources cannot coexist indefinitely

Answer

Two species with identical niches will stably coexist

Answer

Competition always leads to evolution of new species

Answer

Interspecific competition is always stronger than intraspecific competition

Question 4

A parasitoid differs from a true parasite primarily because the parasitoid:

Accepted Answer

Eventually kills the host as part of its life cycle

Answer

Lives outside rather than inside its host

Answer

Has no negative effect on host fitness

Answer

Can infect multiple host species simultaneously

Question 5

The 'enemy release hypothesis' proposes that invasive species succeed because they:

Accepted Answer

Leave behind their natural predators, parasites, and pathogens

Answer

Outcompete natives through superior resource use alone

Answer

Evolve rapidly to exploit new food sources

Answer

Form mutualistic relationships with native species immediately

Question 6

Which interaction type is most likely to increase both species' population sizes simultaneously?

Accepted Answer

Mutualism

Answer

Competition

Answer

Predation

Answer

Parasitism

Question 7

In the Lotka-Volterra predator–prey model, what happens to prey population size when the predator population reaches its maximum?

Accepted Answer

Prey population is declining most rapidly

Answer

Prey population is at its maximum

Answer

Prey population is at its minimum

Answer

Prey population size is independent of predator numbers